Yooperbikemike's 2012 MotoGP Thread

While I don't think Honda or Yamaha really want Rossi back, the argument that he would take points off of their #1 Championship contender isn't a great one IMHO. Pedrosa anyone? He is clearly capable of going on a long win streak at anytime.

I do think a big money sponsor could turn any manufacturer's head, factory or private team. Rossi is still the most marketable figure in Moto GP.

While I don't think Honda or Yamaha really want Rossi back, the argument that he would take points off of their #1 Championship contender isn't a great one IMHO. Pedrosa anyone? He is clearly capable of going on a long win streak at anytime.

I do think a big money sponsor could turn any manufacturer's head, factory or private team. Rossi is still the most marketable figure in Moto GP.

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Yes but they hired Pedrosa with hopes of winning the championship, he unfortunately keeps having injury plagued seasons. He's an amazing starter and will run away with a race, other than that he doesn't seem to be a consistent late race charger, though that may have been the 800 issue.

My thoughts Go Vale, I don't care where
If he's not there I will still ride to Laguna and enjoy racing and buy some Marquez shirts in a few years, until then I mostly have Yellow and I can alternate until these wear out ..

Why was Hellmund forced out? That seems to be the big sticking point. He sure has wedged himself nicely in the works, though, forcing the tracks current owners to deal with him.

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It seems to me that Hellmund put everything together, the track, the deal with the state, F1, and Dorna. Then his backers ousted him for full control and profit. It seems that Bernie had a way out of his deal for F1 and then made a new one with the new Hellmund-less track owners. Hellmund does not want to let go of his MotoGP contract.
I know he's suing his former backers, so I guess if he's going to sell, or give up his MotoGP deal it will involve making a deal with those same people. No wonder it's at a stale mate.

It seems to me that Hellmund put everything together, the track, the deal with the state, F1, and Dorna. Then his backers ousted him for full control and profit. It seems that Bernie had a way out of his deal for F1 and then made a new one with the new Hellmund-less track owners. Hellmund does not want to let go of his MotoGP contract.
I know he's suing his former backers, so I guess if he's going to sell, or give up his MotoGP deal it will involve making a deal with those same people. No wonder it's at a stale mate.

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Yes, but I'm curious as to why they forced him out. Besides outright greed, of course.

Seems like cooperation would make everyone more money in the long run. But then I'm an optimist.

Thanks for the link. I read Rainey's autobiography this winter, and I remember him repeatedly saying that the bike was not the best on the grid during his championship runs. He said that complaints to Yamaha went unanswered, because the team was consistently winning. Yamaha's response was essentially "how bad can the bike be if the team is winning?" That is an interesting place for a manufacturer and team to be. Fortunately, Ducati does not have to face that conundrum (any longer).

I recall a tale that in the last couple Rainey years Yamaha didn't think it was worth doing the chassis changes that Team Roberts was demanding. Their answer was "Well, your winning on it, so it can't be that bad". This answer prompted Roberts to use a ROC chassis for many races, at least one year with Rainey, because that company would build the chassis to their specifications. This is not addressed in Mark's article.